The Hummingbird - May 2019 [vol.6, n.5]

Volume 6 - Issue 5 May 2019

Humming-

REGIONAL COOPERATION HIGH LEVEL FORUM CALLS FOR STRENGTHENING REGIONAL COOPERATION

CLIMATE CHANGE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON WOMEN IN THE CARIBBEAN

Capacity building WORKSHOP ON CENSUS BENEFITS CARIBBEAN STATISTICAL OFFICERS

Contents 4

Article

8

Feature Article

Study on the impact of climate change on women in the Caribbean

High level forum calls for strengthening regional cooperation

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Article

16

Article

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Article

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State of Affairs

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ECLAC Caribbean Family

Capacity building workshop on census benefits Caribbean statistical officers

Caribbean Youth discuss major development issues

Antigua-Barbuda, UN and Norway join forces to beat plastic pollution

Recent activity by Caribbean governments

Youth Empowerment Centre hosts community outreach program

Cover Photo courtesy Pixabay

Issued on a monthly basis, The Hummingbird offers strategic insights into the latest projects, publications, technical assistance missions and research carried out by ECLAC Caribbean. In addition to these, sneak previews are provided of the most salient upcoming events, alongside enriching followups to previously covered issues. With a view to featuring a variety of facets of Caribbean life and lifestyle, The Hummingbird also zooms in on cultural activities and landmark occurrences through an eye-opening regional round-up.

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor: Alexander Voccia Writer : Denise Balgobin Design: Blaine Marcano Please see our contact details on the back cover of this magazine

Posted May 6

Check out the climate change roadmap towards the 2019 Climate Action Summit of the UN Secretary-General.

May Events 3

World Press Freedom Day 3 May 2019 Posted Apr 26

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International Day of Families 15 May 2019

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International Day of Living Together in Peace 6 May 2019

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World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 21 May 2019

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International Day of UN Peacekeepers 29 May 2019

If you are leading a project that is achieving results in climate neutrality, apply for a UN Global Climate Action award: http://momentum.unfccc.int

Posted Apr 25

If you are leading a project that uses innovative financing mechanisms to address #climatechange, apply for a UN Global Climate Action award: http://momentum.unfccc.int

Study on the impact of climate change on women in the Caribbean

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here is growing concern among policy makers and civil society regarding the impact of climate change and extreme weather events in the Caribbean, particularly on women and girls. In this regard, ECLAC Caribbean, with the support of the ECLAC Division for Gender Affairs, is preparing a study that will analyse how countries in the subregion have been applying gender perspectives in addressing climate change and disaster-risk reduction.

The study argues that, compared with other social groups, women and girls often experience greater ¬risks and intangible losses following a disaster. In fact, a previous ECLAC study revealed that women face significantly greater risks and effects in extreme events such as floods, hurricanes and earthquakes, in which they are more likely to lose their lives than men.1 Please see figure below.

ECLAC’s upcoming study, entitled ‘The impact of climate change and extreme weather events on the autonomy of women in the Caribbean’ will analyse the main social, economic, environmental and political impacts of climate

change and disaster, on the situation of Caribbean women.

The study will also discuss climate change and disaster risk reduction related policies and programmes that include a gender perspective, identifying good practices in the implementation of existing frameworks. Targeted recommendations will be made regarding technical assistance which may be provided to National Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women and other government entities, to promote the inclusion of a gender perspective, as regards climate change and disaster related policies in the Caribbean.

The importance of mainstreaming gender equality in environmental concerns in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), was underscored, building on the lessons learned from previous agreements, including Agenda 21 and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Governments of Latin America and the Caribbean adopted in 2016 the Montevideo Strategy for implementation of the

*

Source: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation [online] http://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-compare in Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Equality and Women’s autonomy in the sustainable development agenda, 2016, p.93.

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Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Equality and Women’s autonomy in the sustainable development agenda, 2016, p.92.

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Tobago wins Caribbean Nature Park Awards 2019 Regional Gender Agenda within the Sustainable Development Framework by 2030. This Strategy includes a specific measure on “increasing resources and technical support to build resilience in small island developing States and coastal States that are susceptible to the impacts of climate change, disasters and extreme weather events”.2 While the Caribbean has made progress in disaster preparedness and risk management, many countries in the subregion are still in the process of strengthening their capacities to respond to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events. They have also not yet mainstreamed gender nor have they adopted a rights-based approach based on international and regional human rights standards in the drafting or monitoring of national gender equality, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and disaster risk reduction related policies, plans and programmes.

ECLAC’s study will offer a Caribbean perspective on these issues, which will be addressed at the XIV Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, scheduled to take place from 4 to 8 November 2019, at ECLAC headquarters in Santiago, Chile.

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obago’s Main Ridge Forest Reserve has been named the Caribbean Nature Park of the Year in the Caribbean Journal’s Caribbean Awards 2019.

The Caribbean Journal is a leading magazine covering Caribbean travel and trade news.

It publishes original content and video focusing on travel and tourism across the entire Caribbean.

As expressed by the Journal, the Green Awards are meant to “celebrate those who are already working to protect and strengthen this beautiful corner of the world.”

Toago’s Main Ridge Forest Reserve, which was recognised

by Caribbean Journal as the Caribbean Nature Park of the Year, was declared a Crown Reserve in 1776, making it the oldest legally protected forest reserve in the Western Hemisphere established for a conservation purpose.

It was also nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in

August 2011, and was voted the “World’s Leading EcoTourism destination” by the World Travel Awards in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

The Caribbean Journal described the Reserve as “a living example of the power of conservation and one whose continued stewardship sends a daily message to the rest of the region. It is also one of the most remarkable places to visit in the region, a haven of biodiversity and a portal into the natural splendor of this gem of the Southern Caribbean.”

The Main Ridge Forest Reserve is one of the island’s attractions that form part of its thriving ecotourism product and falls within one of the four pillars for growth of the tourism industry identified by the Tobago Tourism Agency.

These four pillars are seas and beaches; eco adventure and nature; global culture, heritage and people; and romance and weddings.

Visitors to the reserve can enjoy its lush tropical beauty through guided tours, nature walks, bird watching and mountain biking.

Measures 8.c

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FEATURE ARTICLE 6

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High level forum calls for

strengthening regional cooperation T

he third meeting of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development called for promoting multilateralism, strengthening democratic institutions and fostering regional cooperation and integration. Representatives of the 28 Governments of the region, representatives of the UN system serving in the region, international and regional organizations, civil society, the private sector and academia, all gathered to review the progress and continuing challenges related to implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the region.

Held from 24-26 April 2019 at ECLAC’s headquarters in Santiago, Chile, the high-level event was jointly organized by ECLAC and the government of Cuba, currently serving as president of the 37th session of the commission.

Read More

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High level forum calls for

strengthening regional cooperation At its inaugural session, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, Alicia Bárcena, highlighted the fact that this third meeting was held at a time when international cooperation was weakening, the result of increasingly defensive postures taken because of the negative impacts of hyper-globalization.

Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) of the United Nations, which will be held in September 2019, the Caribbean will joing the international community in focusing on the importance of empowering people, ensuring inclusiveness and promoting equality in their strategies to increase resilience.

“It is proven that multilateralism at an international level is compatible with strengthening democracy at a national level when multilateral agreements meet certain conditions, that is, when they further the diffuse interests of the many over the concentrated interests of the most powerful groups, when they protect the rights of minorities and the most vulnerable sectors, and strengthen the deliberative capacities of governments, the private sector and civil society, stimulating a debate that combines transparency, diverse views and analytical capacity, among other things,” said Bárcena.

“The essence of our message is that our people are our most valuable asset. And if we want strategies to build resilience to be effective, we will need to out people at the center of our innovation and intervention,” Quarless added.

With ECLAC Executive Secretary’s “Caribbean First strategy”, the specific needs and challenges faced by the subregion were high on the agenda of the Regional forum. Helping to put the spotlight on these was ECLAC Caribbean Director, Diane Quarless, who moderated a panel on `Challenges of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Caribbean-Empowering people, ensuring inclusiveness, promoting equality: strategies for building resilience’. The panel focused its attention on the difficulties affecting the subregion among which were exposure to natural disasters, lack of access to concessional and other forms of financing, narrow fiscal space for introducing social reforms, and the burden of high levels of indebtedness.

In an engaging and positive debate, the authorities suggested solutions towards achieving sustainable development, including the need to transform the presently limited culture of performance management to a governance approach more focused on an evidence-based decision-making process.

Quarless explained that during the next High-level

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Apart from the high-level panel, Caribbean countries also participated in several parallel events, including the regional workshop on the Escazú Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters. During this event, countries congratulated Guyana for being the first country of the region to ratify the agreement. ECLAC also provided an opportunity for Caribbean countries to meet with the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the 2019 Climate Summit, Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba. Caribbean Ministers and senior representatives exchanged views with him on the expectations of the subregion for the upcoming summit. ECLAC also informed Caribbean delegations about a new project offering technical assistance aimed at enhancing climate change and disaster risk reduction statistical and institutional capacities of the subregion and at improving policy coherence in the implementation of the SDGs, the SAMOA Pathway, the Paris Agreement, and the Sendai Framework. The Regional Forum was also an occasion to report on the main outcomes achieved by ECLAC’s subsidiary bodies, including the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee.

During the three-day discussions, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, Alicia Bárcena, pointed out that through the Forum, the region’s representatives have benefitted from peer learning and best practice, which have supported progress on implementation of the 2030 Agenda. It was also a unique occasion for deepening dialogue with

“The essence of our message is that our people are our most valuable asset. And if we want strategies to build resilience to be effective, we will need to out people at the center of our innovation and intervention.”

Diane Quarless - Director of ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean

multiple-stakeholders and to explore opportunities for cooperation and partnership. Indeed, representatives from civil society organizations and youth networks in the Caribbean also attended and exchanged views and ideas with government authorities.

Executive Secretary Bárcena welcomed the fact that 29 of the region’s countries had established an institutional mechanism for SDG coordination. In the Caribbean, Aruba, the Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Saint Lucia have formalized this mechanism; in several others, there is still an interim structure.

This evidence of institutional progress was complemented by the increase in the number of countries indicating their readiness to submit Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) on progress made on implementing the 2030 Agenda. Guyana and Saint Lucia will present their (VNRs) to the HLPF this year. In so doing, they will join Belize that presented in 2017, and the Bahamas, the Dominican

Republic, and Jamaica that presented in 2018. Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten, as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, also presented their VNRs in 2017. It is also expected Saint Vincent and Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago will present their VNRs to the 2020 HLPF next year.

“This is good sign of the Caribbean’s accelerated progress towards greater embrace of the 2030 Agenda through national ownership, and a welcome sign that the subregion is progressively scaling up activities which will contribute substantially to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals” highlighted ECLAC Caribbean Director, Diane Quarless during the Regional Forum.

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ECLAC meeting discusses future of Caribbean tourism industry

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ey stakeholders from the tourism sector in the Caribbean recently participated in a meeting to discuss the findings of a study

by ECLAC Caribbean. Entitled “Industrial Upgrading and diversification to address the competitiveness challenges in the Caribbean: the case of tourism”, the study analysed upgrading and diversification of tourism products and services in The Bahamas, Belize and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Discussions centred around efforts at upgrading the tourism services offered by these countries, including investment in better-quality rooms at hotels and a wider array of amenities such as spa and wellness

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treatments and the adoption of international certification and standards. However, these efforts notwithstanding, meeting participants expressed the view that these efforts did not go the distance to keep up with the latest developments in the sector. These include optimizing the use of technologies such as Big data and Artificial Intelligence to drive targeted marketing to tourist groups such as millennials.

The three countries targeted for the study were chosen because they span the profile of the industry in the region, The Bahamas being a wellestablished mature destination.

Belize, a relatively new destination, boasts a wider

product mix, including ecotourism and nature tourism alongside sun, sea and sand, while Saint Kitts and Nevis is a small twin-island destination that recently won the World Travel and Tourism Council’s prize as the world’s best destination for sustainable tourism.

The meeting concluded that the tourism landscape in the Caribbean is one of both opportunity and challenge. With carefully crafted strategy and targeted actions, these countries could significantly enhance their tourism product, bringing increased economic benefit and improved welfare for their people.

The Bahamas installs a new solar park

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ontinuing a push toward wider use of green energy, The Bahamas just installed a new solar park at its Thomas A. Robinson national stadium.

The new park, which also includes a carport and two electric vehicle charging stations, was developed under a joint United Arab Emirates-Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund initiative.

It is a 925-kilowatt plant, as reported by the government, which is looking to derive 30% of its nationwide energy usage from green sources by 2030. The plant is expected to replace the equivalent of 310,000 gallons of diesel fuel each year.

“Our vision is to deliver world-class renewable energy technology to meet the needs of a developing and expanding 21st century economy,” said Bahamas Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

“The energy generated from these solar panels will feed into our national grid, and as I understand it, will offset some of the electricity usage of neighboring schools.”

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Capacity building workshop on census benefits Caribbean statistical officers

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opulation and Development officers and Government statistical officers in the Caribbean benefited from training to enhance their capacity to undertake the 2020 census, following a recent workshop held in Jamaica from 8 – 11 April 2019. The 2020 census round is particularly important as it will generate critical data to facilitate SDG implementation and reporting, in addition to data required for national and sub-national planning and decision-making.

Approximately 98 of the 232 (unique) SDG indicators require population data for their calculation.

Organized by ECLAC, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Secretariat for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the four-day workshop focussed on “Strengthening Statistical

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Capacity for Census and SDGs”.

In this workshop, the partners also prepared the participants to make timely decisions at all stages of the census process.

During the workshop, participants were exposed to new methods on utilization of the census data to generate key national development indicators including SDG indicators. Over the four days, the workshop covered key aspects of each of the different stages of the census process including planning, data collection, producing census outputs and the utilization of census data.

Participants were also able to discuss the challenges they experience in their respective countries regarding national SDG reporting and data disaggregation. They also explored possible solutions.

The decennial census is a major statistical exercise and requires significant preparation in terms of human resources, technologies, budget and logistics. In the 2010 round of census, 214 countries conducted a census, enumerating 6.4 billion people, representing 93% of the world’s population.

In the 2020 round of census, as in previous rounds, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will support the census process depending on the needs of countries. This will include advocacy, technical support, and managing the entire census process, including addressing operational and financial responsibilities.

Watch this video to find out about the Montevideo Strategy.

Watch on YouTube!

1 Pillar 1: Normative framework: Equality and the rule of law Pillar 1 on normative framework includes 13 measures to develop, adopt and implement legal and policy frameworks on women’s rights and gender equality.

Did you know that measure 1. focuses on promoting the full engagement of boys and men in achieving gender equality in the region?

Check here for more information: https://repositorio.cepal.org/ handle/11362/41013

2 Pillar 2: Institutional architecture: Multidimensional and Comprehensive Gender Equality Policies The Pillar 2 on institutional architecture encompasses 5 measures to strengthen the organizational structure that oversees public policies on women’s rights and gender equality in all branches and at all levels of the State.

According to ECLAC Gender Equality Observatory, National machineries for the advancement of women were created in most Caribbean countries.

Please see more information at https://oig.cepal.org/en/indicators/ level-within-governmental-hierarchynational-machineries-advancementwomen

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ECLAC trains Argentina national team of experts on its disaster assessment methodology

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CLAC has worked with the government of Argentina on many occasions to support the country’s efforts to incorporate prevention, estimation and risk reduction in public investment plans and development programs. In 2017, ECLAC embarked on a project to support Argentina´s Immediate Response Program for Floods.

This project included an assessment of the effects of disasters. ECLAC was also invited to undertake a study on floods in Argentina and to provide Damage and Loss Assessment (DaLA) training courses.

ECLAC’s disaster assessment methodology was subsequently incorporated in the Argentinian risk management plan.

This year, as a follow-up to that project, ECLAC was invited to further improve the capacity of policymakers in disaster assessment in several national and regional institutions in Argentina.

A training activity was organized

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in Buenos Aires in February 2019 with a view to creating a national team to permanently assess small and medium scale disasters in the country and to train other professionals.

This training course was hosted by the Ministry of Security and facilitated by three experts from ECLAC Caribbean: Coordinator of the Sustainable Development and Disaster Unit, Dr Omar Bello, Associate Environmental Officer, Luciana de Meira and Public Information Assistant, Blaine Marcano.

Twenty-one persons attended the training, including representatives from the Ministries of Transportation, Planning, Civil Aviation, Social Development, Health, Infrastructure, Agriculture and Defence. The ECLAC team shared experiences from other Latin America countries in incorporating disaster risk reduction in public investment plans. They also used examples of other disaster

risk management initiatives and best practices to clarify the application and usefulness of the methodology.

Furthermore, the sessions discussed the findings of previous assessment missions, highlighting the vulnerabilities and positive developments in disaster and risk management identified.

In his closing remarks at the event, the Secretary of Civil Protection, Mr. Emilio Renda, praised ECLAC and Argentina for their joint cooperation efforts. He also emphasized the importance of using the DaLA methodology to continuously collect data to design and implement evidencebased risk mitigation strategies.

One of the Caribbean’s best film festivals is in St Bart’s

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ne of the Caribbean’s best film fetes returned to the French Caribbean this year for what was the 24th edition of the St Bart Film Festival, on the island of Saint Barthélemy.

This year’s festival, which focuses on Caribbean and international film, was held from 28 April – 4 May. The opening night film was a documentary about reggae, entitled “Inna de Yard”.

The festival was first created in 1996, aiming to give the island and its population the opportunity to discover the wealth of Caribbean culture — and put a renewed spotlight on regional cinema. This year’s event was highlighted by films from Cuba and Mexico.

“We are very excited about the success of the 24th anniversary of the St Bart Film Festival, as we had directors, actors, and producers coming from Haiti, Chile, Colombia, France, Argentina, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana,” said Ellen Lampert-Greaux, the organizer of the festival.

“Since we founded the festival in 1996, it has become a crossroads for Caribbean cinema, offering filmmakers the chance to meet each other and see each other’s work in the idyllic setting of St Bart.”

The Film Festival gave the island and its population the opportunity to discover the richness of Caribbean culture in its widest sense, by way of its films. The success of the first edition motivated its development into an annual event, and it has since gone beyond that to become an important rendezvous for Caribbean cinema.

A fixture on the island’s cultural calendar, this festival is known as a forum for the screening of interesting films and meetings among filmmakers, a place there they can show their films and discuss them amongst themselves and with the island’s residents, tourists, and students.

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Caribbean youth

discuss major development issues

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ouths from the Caribbean were recently invited by ECLAC Caribbean and the Caribbean Regional Youth Council (CRYC) to join an online dialogue session aimed at capturing the collective thoughts, ideas and perspectives of young people in relation to major development themes. The virtual session was part of the preparatory process leading to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum, an annual initiative of the President of the Council, which took place in New York, from 8 to 9 April.

Some of the areas addressed by the youth leaders and activists included challenges to access to high-quality education, lack of employment, lack of youth participation in society, intergenerational injustice and climate change impacts, as proposed by the ECOSOC, in connection with SDGs 4, 8, 10, 13, 16 and 17.

In this regard, participants from across the Caribbean participated in a debate on how best to involve youth in the implementation of Agenda 2030. They looked specifically at three main topics: how education and decent work serve to promote empowerment, inclusion and equality among youth in the Caribbean (SDGs 4 and 8); how inequality affects youth empowerment and inclusion in the Caribbean (SDGs 10 and 16); and the roles that youth have played and can play in the transition to low emission and climate resilient development in the Caribbean (SDGs 13 and 17).

The session was moderated by Ms. Kurba Marie Questelles, Regional Training and Development Coordinator of the Commonwealth Youth Peace Ambassadors Network, and included a lively

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debate steered by the presentations of Mr. Henry Charles, Youth development researcher at the University of the West Indies (UWI), and Mr. Nickson Barry, Deputy Regional Chair of the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN).

The Caribbean is home to more than 11 million youth between the ages of 15 and 29. These young people should play an important role in the achievement of sustainable development in the region. However, there are several challenges that need to be addressed for youth to be able to contribute effectively for the benefit of the Caribbean region.

By bringing together youth from across the subregion, ECLAC Caribbean and CRYC offered young people the opportunity to share their vision with policymakers and relevant stakeholders in civil society and the private sector, as well as to discuss their contributions to future UN meetings.

The Youth Forum has been organized by ECOSOC since 2012 and was recognized in the SecretaryGeneral’s report on “Critical milestones towards coherent, efficient and inclusive follow-up and review at the global level” (A/70/684), which declared that the High-level Political Forum should be informed by and benefit from such discussions.

The summary outcome of the Youth Forum is therefore considered an informal contribution to the HLPF and key elements are referenced in the annual Ministerial Declaration.

The main focus of this year’s Youth Forum was the role of youth in the monitoring, review and implementation of Agenda 2030 and the achievement of the SDGs.

ECOSOC Youth Forum The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum took place on 8-9 April 2019. It provided a platform for young leaders from around the world to engage in a dialogue with United Nations Member States and to share ideas on how to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Forum served as a unique opportunity for young people to share their vision and to elaborate their substantive contributions to United Nations upcoming meetings, including the 2019 ECOSOC Substantive Session, the 2019 high-level political forum on sustainable development (HLPF) and the high-level events taking place on the margins of the opening of the General Assembly, including the Climate Summit, the High-level Meeting on Financing for Development, the SDG Summit and the review of SAMOA Pathway.

The forum was an opportunity to engage with government representatives, youth delegates, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders in civil society and the private sector.

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In the BVI, Earth Day Is an Entire Month

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he British Virgin Islands celebrated Earth Day for the entire month of April by creating community awareness through its Seeds of Love initiative.

Various events included school plantings and discussions, voluntourism planting events, plant donation drive, and a tree-planting at the Ellis Thomas Downs Race Track.

The month-long celebration culminated on 27 April, with a Seeds of Love Community volunteer planting and beautification activity.

The initiative, which was launched in 2017 in an effort to replant trees lost as a result of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, operates in partnership with a local nursery and landscape contracting firm, Groundworks B.V.I. “Our goal for the month was to engage the wider community in the Seeds of Love initiative,” said Sharon Flax-Brutus, Director of Tourism. “I am proud to say that this initiative has blossomed into a forest of opportunities.”

The programme is just one of the measures that the B.V.I. Tourism Board (BVITB) is taking to make the tourism industry meaningful for the entire community– last week, as part of Caribbean Journal’s Green Caribbean Awards, the BVITB was named as the winner of the Green Tourism Board of the Year.

“Being recognized as the Green Tourism Board of the Year award inspires us to push even harder to ensure we secure an environmentally sustainable territory for generations to come,” said Flax-Brutus.

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Jamaica to be Location for 25th James Bond Movie

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epresentatives of Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism recently met in England with the producers of the 25th James Bond movie, with a view to having some parts filmed in Jamaica.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett confirmed that he and Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Minister Olivia Grange travelled to Pinewood Studio to meet with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.

Pinewood Studio has been the base for a number of productions over the years and is well-known as the home of the James Bond franchise. Minister Bartlett advised that the discussions with the producers are very advanced.

The international media reported that principal filming will take place in Jamaica and at studios in the United Kingdom.

Jamaica will feature as part of the yet-to-be-titled film, which is expected to be released in 2020. It is not the first time that Jamaica has been featured in a James Bond flick, as the country was showcased in the 1962 film, `Dr. No’, and in `Live and Let Die’.

Bartlett said that showcasing Jamaica once more in such an iconic franchise as James Bond will have an impact on Jamaica’s tourism industry, providing “enormous external marketing” for the island.

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Antigua-Barbuda, UN and Norway join forces to beat plastic pollution

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rammy-nominated artiste and Soca King of the World, Machel Montano has joined forces with the government of Antigua and Barbuda, the United Nations and Norway to combat plastic pollution.

The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, Minister of Health, Wellness and the Environment, Molwyn Joseph, and Minister of Sports, Culture, National Festivals and the Arts, Daryll Matthew, welcomed Montano as one of the headliners at the upcoming ‘Play it Out’ concert to tackle plastic pollution.

Montano declared, “As a musician, my main occupation is creation, which means you start looking at the environment and nature around you… This is why I am involved in projects like this and my music brings a message which I believe is positive and inspirational.”

“Plastic pollution is a global issue that spans borders and my government recognises the urgency and the responsibility we all must undertake as citizens of this planet in combating the effects of plastic pollution. As the first country in the region to ban the use of single-use plastics, Antigua and Barbuda is committed to making a difference and leading by example,” Prime Minister Browne added.

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Up to 12 million tons of plastic enter the oceans every year, harming plants, animals, coastal communities and entering the food chain. Plastic can be seen in every corner of the world and the impacts are extensive. Whales have washed up on shores, having choked on plastic bags.

Adventurers have spotted lumps of polystyrene packaging floating in the Southern Ocean, one of the most remote parts of the earth. Even tests on bottled water from all corners of the globe have found microscopic plastic particles in every sample.

Along with Machel Montano, the concert, which aims to `Play it Out to Phase it Out’, will be coheadlined by Grammy award-winning singer/ actress, Ashanti, who will be visiting Antigua and Barbuda for the first time. Joining the pair will be a line-up of artistes and performers hailing from different regions, demographics and music styles.

The concert, set for 01 June 2019 in Antigua, is expected to attract a live audience of up to 20,000 with thousands more following online.

IOM, GIZ workshop on Climate Risk Management and Migration in the Eastern Caribbean

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very year, around the world, millions of people are forced to leave their homes because of hurricanes, floods, windstorms, earthquakes, droughts and other natural disasters.

This is compounded by environmental changes such as desertification, sea level rise, and ecosystem degradation, which undermine the livelihoods of millions and drive temporary and permanent migration of affected populations in search of better opportunities.

The Eastern Caribbean, with its archipelago of islands, faces challenges related to human mobility and displacement posed by sea level rise and increase in extreme weather events such as hurricanes and cyclones.

Recognising these challenges, the United Nations’ International Office for Migration (IOM), hosted a regional workshop in Saint Lucia on climate risk management, migration and environment, covering the Eastern Caribbean.

Representing ECLAC Caribbean was Economic Affairs Officer, Willard Phillips, who described the workshop as a good learning experience.

In this regard, Phillips noted that the regional workshop was successful in building the capacity of policymakers and practitioners to factor migration into environmental and climate change adaptation policies, and to consider environmental change in comprehensive migration management policies at the regional and national level.

Philips said the workshop also provided an opportunity for policymakers from key institutional sectors to participate in discussion centred on possible collaboration on migration, environment and climate change. Participants were drawn from several Caribbean countries including the British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, OECS members, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and the University of the West Indies (UWI).

There were specific learning outcomes, including improved understanding of the links between environmental factors, human mobility and related challenges, along with improved understanding of possible practical, legal and policy measures, tools and frameworks that could be applied to address these challenges. Another area was the improved ability to identify possible action and opportunities for collaboration at the regional level through the definition of key priorities and way forward.

The workshop also highlighted awareness of the migratory impacts which might be generated in the Caribbean due to the occurrence of natural events such as hurricanes and earthquakes, and referenced the recent disasters of the 2017 hurricane season as case scenarios.

Held on 8 March 2019, the two-day workshop was implemented by IOM on behalf of the Global Programme “Sustainable Management of Human Mobility in the Context of Climate Change�

(HMCCC) implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), with support from the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

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UWI students visit ECLAC POS

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CLAC Caribbean recently hosted a group of students from the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Institute of International Relations, on a field trip to its Port of Spain office.

The UWI students, all of whom are reading for their Master of Science degrees, were accompanied by two colleagues from the Cátedra del Caribe at the University of Havana, who were visiting T&T to conduct field work related to a research project on Caribbean women.

“The students wanted to learn about ECLAC's mandate and work in the region, how ECLAC supports regional integration and cooperation, how ECLAC supports the Caribbean region in achieving the SDGs and facing climate change challenges. They were also interested in learning about ECLAC's contribution to forge and develop the relation between Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Dr. Jacqueline Laguardia Martínez, of UWI, who accompanied the group.

During their tour, they were welcomed by ECLAC Caribbean’s Director, Diane Quarless, and Deputy Director, Dr. Dillon Alleyne. They also met with

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the coordinators of various units, including Dr. Abdullahi Abdulkadri of the Statistics and Social Development Unit, Omar Bello of the Sustainable Development and Disaster Unit, Dr. Alexander Voccia of the Strategic Planning and Outreach Unit, and representatives of the Economic Development Unit. The coordinators shared important aspects on the thematic areas of work and pertinent issues that the office focuses upon, as well as some of the projects which are currently being pursued.

The students also learnt about ECLAC’s partnerships with other organisations, including UN agencies, and of our outreach strategy designed to increase the public awareness of our work. They were also given packages of ECLAC publications representing a sample of the various issues covered by the office.

Student Jeremy Edwards, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to acquire a better understanding of the work of the subregional office.

Stateof Affairs The Bahamas

Cuba

Jamaica

PORT REDEVELOPMENT

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR BARBADOS

MOU WITH CHINA

- May Nassau’s cruise port redevelopment is expected to lead to a significant increase in the gross domestic product (GDP) for The Bahamas by 2023. The president of Colina Financial Advisors Ltd (CFAL) Anthony Ferguson said, “The economic impact is going to be up to $18 billion or $20 billion.” It was also announced that the bid to redevelop and manage the Port of Nassau, heralded as the world’s busiest cruise port, was won by Global Ports Holding (GPH).

- Apr Newly appointed Cuban ambassador to Barbados, Sergio de Jesus Jorge Pastrana, announced that Cuba is offering six scholarships to Barbadians interested in studying medicine. Additionally, two scholarships are available for postgraduate studies. The two officials also discussed collaboration in the area of medical research into lifestyle diseases and the possibility of Cuban nurses being recruited to work in Barbados.

- Apr Jamaica is poised to benefit from significant economic and infrastructural development initiatives under a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kamina Johnson Smith, and Chinese ambassador to Jamaica, Tian Qi, signed the agreement under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on April 11. Jamaica is the fifth Caribbean nation to sign on to the BRI, following Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Guyana and Barbados.

BOOST RESILLIENCE

MOU WITH GOOGLE

RENEWABLE ENERGY PILOT

- Apr Important steps have been taken to increase resilience to natural disasters. The government has secured a contingent credit line with the inter-American Development Bank and re-subscribed to disaster insurance through the Caribbean catastrophe risk insurance facility (CCRIF). The speedy establishment of a natural disaster fund will complement the financial tools currently available to respond to disasters effectively. Investing in physically resilient infrastructure, including through building code enforcement and coastal management, is equally critical.

- Apr The Cuban Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba SA (ETECSA) and the US company Google, signed a memorandum of understanding to begin the negotiation of a subsequent internet traffic exchange service agreement.

The signing of this memorandum evidences that the interest of US companies in developing business with ETECSA is maintained. At present, there are more than ten US companies with agreements in force, for the benefit of both parties.

- May The innovative Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) mechanism is to be piloted in Jamaica as a means of stimulating uptake of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies in the public sector through upfront financing, expertise, and greater accessibility. Support will be provided to design and implement the pilot programme in the health sector in partnership with the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), under the UNDP and PCJ-implemented ‘Deployment of Renewable Energy and Improvement in Energy Efficiency Project’ funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), PCJ and the Development Bank of Jamaica.

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ECLAC Caribbean’s

Recent Publications Advancing the economic empowerment and autonomy of women in the Caribbean through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

1.

Caribbean synthesis report on the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing and the San JosĂŠ Charter on the Rights of Older Persons in Latin America and the Caribbean

3.

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Available NOW! Click on Cover to Download.

Hardcopies Available at ECLAC Caribbean while stocks last.

Inclusive social protection and demographic change: The implications of population ageing for social expenditure in the Caribbean

2.

Diane’s Corner The Director’s views and thoughts on:

Diane Quarless Director of ECLAC Caribbean

13/5

Renewable Energy “The Caribbean's high dependence on imported fossil fuel has, over time, exposed these small open economies to the vagaries of international energy markets, through price and supply shocks. While climate change and its impacts may have exacerbated these concerns, rapidly evolving renewable energy technologies offer new opportunities for Caribbean SIDS to address their energy security needs by satisfying the energy demands of key economic sectors.”

#DirectorsTake http://vrb.al/directors-take The Hummingbird - March 2019 |

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ECLAC Caribbean

Family

Youth Empowerment Centre hosts community outreach program

T

he Ryu Dan Dojo Youth Empowerment Centre (RDDYEC) of Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago, recently hosted its annual Community Outreach Program under the theme “Unity in the Community”.

One of the main attractions at the event on 6 April 2019 was a Peace walk as part of the outreach programme, which aimed to activate a sense of community responsibility for violence prevention. The event also featured booth displays and cultural participation by organizations and clubs highlighting the different talents of the community and providing access to information on organizations that can offer support services and assistance to the local communities on aspects related to psychological, legal or health care service, educational activities on matters related to gender-based violence, youth development and other violence prevention social support services.

A UN booth was present on site, coordinated and manned by representatives of several UN agencies, including ECLAC Caribbean.

The booth included displays and giveaways of educational items relating to the work undertaken by the various agencies.

Representing ECLAC Caribbean at the event was Social Affairs Officer, Catarina Camarinhas, who described the experience as very uplifting. “It was an excellent opportunity to get engaged with the local community in Enterprise. These are very important initiatives to stimulate a sense of community and take responsibility for change from within, at the grassroots level. We need more of these positive perspectives for exchange and scaling up efforts”

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Ryu Dan Dojo is a locally based NGO that has been in existence since 2013 and is focused on youth development and empowerment through the use of martial arts, training, career counselling and mentorship. Their mission is to bridge communities and create opportunities for the young people of Enterprise, Chaguanas and their environs; to develop themselves with a broader view of national responsibility and loyalty, through an understanding of the values of discipline, selfworth, education and respect.

ECLAC congratulates all those involved in the organization of this event, thanks the organizers for the invitation to participate and remains committed to supporting grassroots organizations in partnership for peace and social justice.

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Baked Teriyaki Chicken Preparation time: 1 h 30 m Serving: 6 servings What you will need: Ingredients: 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon cold water 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 12 skinless chicken thighs

What you need to do: 1.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.

2.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

3.

Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again.

4.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.

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CONTACT US CONTACT US

ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, 1 Chancery Lane, P.O. Box 1113, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies.

ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, 1 Chancery Lane, P.O. Box 1113, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Telephone: 1 868 224 8000 West Indies.

E-mail: registry@eclacpos.org

MEDIA1 CONTACT Telephone: 868 224 8000 Tel.: 1 868 224 8075 E-mail: registry@eclacpos.org E-mail:MEDIA eclac-media-pos@eclac.org CONTACT Tel.: 1 868 224 8075 E-mail: media-pos@eclac.org Give us your feedback at: MEDIA CONTACT http://vrb.al/hb-survey Tel.: 1 868 224 8075 Give us your feedback at: E-mail: media-pos@eclac.org http://vrb.al/hb-survey

SOCIAL MEDIA

eclac.org/portofspain www.eclacpos.org